Wimbledon Timeline

1877

The first Wimbledon tournament

Gentlemen's singles is the only event held. Spencer Gore prevails from a field of 22 athletes — with a mere 200 spectators present at the finals.

1884

Women join the club

Seven years after its inception, Wimbledon includes a Ladies' Singles tournament. Gentlemen's Doubles is also added.

1969

Ball , too

Prior to this, Wimbledon used only ball boys chosen from a particular school. Today both boys and girls are selected — and come from a wide array of local schools. They may serve up to five times if chosen.

2009

Retractable roof

To protect players and fans from rain and/or excessive heat during the Championships, the roof is installed and takes roughly 20 minutes to close. The roof sees action on the first day of the 2009 tournament.